Vegan Sofritas, Chipotle-Style

I must’ve been Mexican in my last life because I could happily eat Mexican food every day. When the Chipotle chain came out with their vegan sofritas, which are basically chopped bits of organic tofu in a saucy base, I changed my stance on what fast food could offer.

Still, there’s nothing like home-cooked food for so many reasons. Cooking from scratch lets you use the freshest ingredients in the comfort of your kitchen, tweaked to please your taste-buds.

This dish is easier to prepare than it looks and tastes, especially if you use the salsa shortcut mentioned below. Pair sofritas with some freshly made tortillas, fat avocado slices and a generous helping of cilantro and lime and you’ll be in south of the border heaven.

INGREDIENTS:

1 Package Extra Firm Tofu, sliced in ¾” slices

2-3 tbsp. Light High-Heat Oil (sesame, peanut, avocado, etc.)

1 Medium Onion, chopped

½ Bell Pepper, green or red

1 Jalapeno, minced (can use serrano if you like heat)

1 tsp Ground Chipotle

1 tsp. Ground Cumin

1 tsp. Mexican Oregano (can substitute thyme)

1 Cup prepared salsa or 1 cup chopped fire-roasted tomatoes

¼ Cup fresh Cilantro, finely chopped

1 tsp. Salt

1 Cup water

HOW TO MAKE IT:

1. Prepare the Tofu. In a large skillet that has a lid, heat the oil and add the tofu, frying on both sides to brown. Drain on brown paper to remove oil. Chop coarsely and set aside.

2. Sautee the Veggies. Using the same pan from the tofu, add the chopped onions and peppers and cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes, until soft and lightly browned. Add the dried spices and cook 1-2 minutes more. If you are using a prepared salsa, like Chipotle or Roasted Tomato type, you can even omit the spices, depending upon your palate.

3. Combine Ingredients. Add the chopped tofu, salsa (or tomatoes), cilantro and salt to the pan, stirring to combine. Add the water and mix, tasting to adjust seasoning. If using only tomatoes, you may want to add a bit more spices.

4. Braise. Reduce heat to low and cover, cooking about 10-15 minutes so that flavors have time to blend.

Enjoy with a squeeze of lime over rice, in tacos, over a salad and sofritas makes an insanely delicious filling for tamales.

Social Links

Latest tweets

Thought Nibbles

“I declare that a meal prepared by a person who loves you will do you more good than any average cooking, and on the other side of it a person who dislikes you is bound to get that dislike into your food, without intending to.” - Luther Burbank